The Denver Nuggets' trade for Jonas Valanciunas became official on Sunday, nearly two weeks after it was first reported. It doesn't mean that Valanciunas will suit up for the Nuggets next season, but that's the outcome the organization expects. The trade is one that nobody saw coming, not because Valanciunas is more than a serviceable Jokic backup, but because all it cost was Dario Saric.
Saric spent the majority of the 2024-25 season out of the rotation after Denver signed him to a two-year deal last summer. He had a $5.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season that everyone knew he was coming to pick up.